12 Home Remedies for Restless Legs Syndrome

This helpful information on restless leg syndrome comes from the Editors of Consumer Guide:

It’s bad enough when you can’t get to sleep and you just lie there, staring at the ceiling. But people who suffer from restless legs syndrome don’t just lie there. They are seized by an uncontrollable urge to move their legs. Their legs actually twitch or jerk, while they experience the sensation of something squirming or wiggling under their skin. Consequently, restless legs syndrome can lead to problems associated with sleep deprivation, such as anxiety and depression.

Researchers say this is a condition still shrouded in much mystery.  Although there seem to be connections with other conditions — such as heart, lung, and kidney disorders: circulatory problems; and arthritis — the culprit sometimes appears to be as simple as excessive caffeine consumption or too little exercise.

The following home remedies are designed to help you combat this problem. If you find that you still have twitching legs after you’ve tried these tips, however, it’s time to get a medical evaluation.

Get up and walk. Walking around may be the only thing that helps. A midnight stroll through the house may calm your legs enough to keep them still when you go back to bed.

Check out your caffeine consumption. Coffee, tea, chocolate, sodas, and even over-the-counter (OTC) medications may contain caffeine. Try cutting your consumption of caffeine-containing foods and medications (or substituting decaffeinated varieties) to see if your condition improves. Avoid tobacco, which contains the stimulant nicotine, and alcohol, which can have its own detrimental effects on sleep, as well.

Modify your medication. Some OTC medications, such as certain cold medications and allergy pills, contain mild stimulants that can result in jittery legs. Ask your pharmacist if any medications you are taking contain stimulants and whether there are any nonstimulating alternatives.

Take a bath. A warm bath or massage before bed relaxes muscles and therefore may be helpful.

Change your temperature. Sometimes, a change from hot to cold, or cold to hot, can do the trick. Try putting a heating pad or hot pack on your legs for a short while. If that doesn’t work, drape a cool towel over your legs, or dip your feet in cool water.

Make sure you’re eating well. There are some indications that a deficiency in iron, folate, or magnesium may contribute to restless legs syndrome. By eating a wide variety of nutrient-rich foods, you should get the vitamins and minerals you need. However, your doctor may recommend supplements of these specific nutrients.

Make a bedtime habit. Get into a regular routine that will help your mind and body settle down and prepare for bed.

Stick to a schedule. Getting to bed at about the same time each night and allowing for a full night’s sleep may help avoid the fatigue that could be a contributing factor to restless legs syndrome.

Soothe your stress. Stress may not be the cause of restless legs syndrome, but it can exacerbate it. Try to eliminate some of the stress in your life. Regular exercise and some form of relaxation technique or even an engaging in a hobby may help you “de-stress.”

Exercise your legs. Moderate exercise often helps, although excessive exercise can aggravate restless leg symptoms. A daily walk at a moderate pace is an excellent exercise, especially for folks who haven’t been very physically active in a while.

Stretch your legs.  Try stretching your calves, hamstrings (backs of the knees), and gluteal (butt) muscles before bed.

Wear socks to bed. Some experts have found that a lot of people who suffer from restless legs syndrome also seem to have cold feet. Although nobody has studied the connection, it might not hurt to bundle up your tootsies for the night.

……Additional comments from Nutrition Breakthroughs:

Studies have shown the mineral magnesium to be effective in helping to calm restless leg syndrome and insomnia.  Supplements should contain a 2 to 1 ratio of calcium to magnesium (twice as much calcium as magnesium). The original research on this recommended ratio appeared in 1935 in the Journal of Physiological Reviews.  In addition, a softgel form is more digestible than tablets.  Softgels formulated with carrier oils such as evening primrose have been shown to increase mineral absorption and increase bone density.

One formula that has these qualities and is gaining in popularity with restless leg syndrome sufferers is Sleep Minerals II from http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com.  Sleep Minerals II is an insomnia remedy which contains six forms of calcium, three forms of magnesium, boron, Vitamin D, Vitamin K and horsetail herb – all combined in a softgel with carrier oils.

For more information on Sleep Minerals II visit http://www.nutritionbreakthroughs.com/html/sleep_remedy_for_insomnia_help.html
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Credit:  the Editors of Consumer Guide.  “12 Home Remedies for Restless Legs Syndrome”  16 January 2007.  HowStuffWorks.com. http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/natural-medicine/home-remedies/home-remedies-for-restless-legs-syndrome.htm 14 April 2012.

Restless Leg Syndrome Remedies: Magnesium and Exercise

The January 2009 issue of “Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise” published the results of a study on patients with periodic leg movements (PLM). PLM is a night-time problem similar to restless leg syndrome.  It is repetitive cramping or jerking of the legs during sleep.  Here are the results of the study, which was done at the Federal University of Sao Paulo, Brazil:

PURPOSE:

Non-drug approaches may lead to an improvement in sleep quality. The objective of our study was to evaluate the effects of intensive (intense short-term) exercise and chronic (regular) exercise on sleep patterns in patients with periodic leg movements (PLM).

METHODS:

The study involved acute and chronic exercise. The acute intensive exercise group consisted of 22 volunteers who underwent testing and also a sleep study on the same night. The chronic exercise group included 11 patients who performed 72 physical training sessions. Blood samples were collected from the groups.

RESULTS:

Our results showed that both forms of physical exercise lowered PLM levels. The acute physical exercise increased sleep efficiency, rapid eye movement (deeper) sleep, and reduced waking after sleep onset, whereas the chronic physical exercise increased sleep efficiency, rapid eye movement sleep, and reduced the time needed to fall asleep. We also found a significant correlation between the release of natural pain killers in the body after acute intensive exercise and the reduction of periodic leg movement (PLM) symptoms.

CONCLUSION:

Physical exercise may improve sleep patterns and reduce PLM levels. We suggest that physical exercise may be a useful non drug-based treatment for PLM.

PROVIDED BY:

This information is provided by htttp://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com of Glendale, CA.  Nutrition Breakthroughs makes Sleep Minerals II, the effective natural remedy for insomnia, restless leg syndrome and periodic leg movements.   Sleep Minerals II contains six types of calcium, three forms of magnesium, and other vitamins and minerals — all combined in a softgel with carrier oils. Oils such as evening primrose have been shown to increase mineral absorption, reduce calcium excretion, and increase bone density.

For more information on Sleep Minerals II, visit
http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com/html/sleep_remedy_for_insomnia_help.html

Restless Leg Syndrome and Insomnia Linked to Magnesium Deficiency

Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a form of insomnia characterized by an overwhelming urge to move the legs when they are at rest, especially during sleep.  RLS affects about 10% of the people in the U.S. It runs in families and may have a genetic component. Recent research has found that people with restless leg syndrome are deficient in the mineral magnesium.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, almost six out of ten Americans report having insomnia and sleep problems at least a few nights a week. Other types of insomnia include sleep apnea, which involves interrupted breathing and snoring during the night; narcolepsy – which causes people to fall asleep throughout the daytime; insomnia from hormone fluctuations such as with menstruation or menopause; and insomnia from the use of medications, caffeine or alcohol.

Those who have restless leg syndrome experience unpleasant sensations in the legs described as creeping, crawling, tingling, pulling, or painful.  These sensations usually occur in the calf area but may be felt anywhere from the thigh to the ankle. People with RLS often experience chronic insomnia and sleeplessness due to the strong urge to walk or do other activities to relieve the sensations in their legs.

In one study from the Romanian Journal of Neurology and Psychiatry, researchers conducted biochemical and neurological tests in 10 cases of restless leg syndrome. The investigators reported important disorders of sleep organization.  They found agitated sleep with frequent periods of nocturnal awakenings and a decrease of the duration and percentage of the deeper rapid eye movement (REM) sleep – also found in other forms of insomnia caused by magnesium deficiency. (1)

Another study from the Journal “Sleep” had similar results. The study was titled “Magnesium Therapy for Periodic Leg Movements (PLMS) – Related Insomnia and Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS): An Open Pilot Study”. Magnesium was administered orally in the evening over a period of 4-6 weeks. Following magnesium treatment, periodic leg movements associated with arousals decreased significantly.  In the 1998 study, the researchers concluded: “Our study indicates that magnesium treatment may be a useful alternative therapy in patients with mild or moderate RLS-or PLMS-related insomnia.” (2)

According to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s Human Nutrition Research Center in North Dakota, “Magnesium plays a key role in the body’s chemistry that regulates sleep. This may be why persons with long-term lack of sleep, or abnormal brain waves during deep sleep, often have low magnesium in their blood….Magnesium treatment increased deep sleep and improved brain waves during sleep in 12 elderly subjects. Magnesium treatment also decreased time to fall asleep and improved sleep quality of 11 alcoholic patients who often have a low magnesium status.”

Regarding the use of nutritional insomnia remedies containing magnesium for relief of restless leg syndrome and other sleep problems, certain formulas are more effective than others. The combination of minerals included and the presence of cofactors in the product are key.  Formulas should contain a 2 to 1 ratio of calcium to magnesium.  The original research on this recommended ratio appeared in 1935 in the Journal of Physiological Reviews (3) and is made on the basis of long-term metabolic studies in men and women.

One natural insomnia remedy showing good results is Sleep Minerals II, made by http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com in Glendale, CA. This sleep aid contains six types of calcium, three forms of magnesium, boron, Vitamin D, Vitamin K and horsetail herb – all combined in a softgel with carrier oils. Oils such as evening primrose have been shown to increase mineral absorption, reduce calcium excretion, and increase bone density.

Sleep Minerals II has had beneficial results with relieving restless leg syndrome.  Ali M. of Istanbul Turkey says: “I have been a pharmacist in Istanbul Turkey for almost 40 years and I also work as a consultant in food supplements. I suffer from restless leg syndrome at night. I recently tried your Sleep Minerals II and it had an astonishing beneficial result. My youngest brother, who is also a pharmacist, also suffers from restless leg syndrome. He tried the Sleep Minerals II with the same result. My mother aged 92 was complaining of sleep problems and insomnia. She also tried it and the result was again successful.  If I hadn’t experienced it myself, I would have found it hard to believe.”

Many people suffer from restless leg syndrome and some sources have called it an incurable disease.  Regular use of the right kind of mineral supplement just might provide the needed relief.

For more information on Sleep Minerals II visit http://www.nutritionbreakthroughs.com/html/sleep_remedy_for_insomnia_help.html

References:

1: Clinical, EEG, electromyographic and polysomnographic studies in restless legs syndrome caused by magnesium deficiency. Rom J Neurol Psychiatry.1993 Jan-Mar; 31(1):55-61. PubMed PMID: 8363978.

2. Sleep. 1998 Aug 1;21(5):501-5.

3. Schmidt C.L.A., Greenberg D.M., Physiol Rev, 15: 297.